The answer I couldn't give

A few years ago I won a fitness industry award. As part of my glory, I was asked to do an interview with TV3. You know the type of interview, 'six tips on how to lose weight for summer' (Oh the summer dream). As we were preparing for the interview, I started chatting with the interviewer. She asked me one of those questions fitness instructors dread; "What's the best exercise for losing weight?" I could tell she was slightly disappointed with my answer, (reinforced by the fact that she asked me the same question two more times within the next forty minutes). The answer I gave her was this: "The best exercise for losing weight is the exercise you love doing". She obviously wanted me to be more specific, so she asked me about running. I questioned if she enjoyed running, to which she replied 'not really, but I heard that it's the best way to drop weight'. She had a good point here. The right type of running is a great way of losing weight, but if she didn't like running, I doubt that she would do it. 

Is there one exercise that is better than another when it comes to losing weight? Of course there is, but exercise is more about behavior than specific exercises. If you hate running, it takes a lot of motivation to get out there and run. If you can find a movement that you love, there is a much better chance that you will include it in your life.  

When you love a movement you don't want to read a magazine while you’re working out, you want to extend your physical limits and experience the highs within your body that comes with this.

This is when you get physical change! A shift in thought is needed - instead of trying to find an exercise or movement to achieve a physical result, try to find a one you enjoy, and the physical results will follow. 

If you are unsure of an exercise you love, spend a couple months just trying different physical activities. Write down a list of activities that you think you may enjoy based on what you know about yourself, and then commit to 'just giving them a try'. At the end of this period you'll find one exercise that you want to keep doing, because you love it.